The lady of the lake
by JXeleven
Summary: Arthur almost drowns in a lake, when he's finally able to get out he meets a young woman, who tells him that she was the one that brought him there. She wanted to have a talk to him.


_**A/N: So a one shot I made between Arthur and Freya. I would love to have seen more of Merlin's and Freya's romance, because Merlin probably would never have someone else in the serie. It's just something I wanted to write down. So enjoy.**_

xxx

Arthur wanted to breath, his longs screamed for it, but he just couldn't get it, the only thing that he inhaled was water, he kicked around trying to reach the surface.

He kicked again, his head broke the water surface, his lips finally freed from the water opened themselves, his lungs that had begged for air finally were filled again.

He panted and dragged himself to the shore, he let himself fall on the sand, he closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, afraid to lose that wonderful air again.

'Arthur?'

_'Did someone call my name?' _He didn't know, he was to tired to listen.

'Arthur.' This time the voice was louder, he knew it was there, if only he could lift his head.

'Arthur Pendragon, stand up.' He was ordered and so he did, he pushed himself up, his arms screaming to stop, but finally he stood, he turned around to face the person from the voice.

The one he faced stood in front of him, a woman standing knee deep in the water, her whole body dripping with the cold liquid, even when she was wearing a teared dress and her black hair hang lifeless around her head she looked like a goddess. Her dark eyes shined bright, her posture was that of a queen.

He sank to his knees, not knowing if it was from her or himself still panting. 'Who... who are you?' He whispered to her.

Her eyes darkened, she gave him a sad smile. 'You don't remember me?... I can't blame you.'

'We have met?' He was stunned, he had never met her, right? He wasn't so sure about it anymore. He looked around, his eyes fell on the large lake behind the woman, the old woods surrounding it, the small beach he sat upon. 'Where... where are we?'

'This is the lake of Avalon and I... I'm its guardian, this lake is my home.' She said, her voice filled with love for her home.

He blinked for a moment, trying to understand what she was saying. 'What's your name?'

She smiled at him. 'My name is Freya.'

'Are you here alone, are there other people here?'

She closed her eyes, sadness spread over her face. 'You're the second living person I have met since I came here... Arthur, you see... I'm dead.'

He gasped. 'You can't be dead, the dead can't be in our world... am I dead?'

She shook her head. 'You aren't dead, I have called you here.'

He looked stunned at her, what did she mean, he knew he went to sleep and suddenly he woke up in the lake. Does she has magic, does she want to hurt him, take revenge for something he or his father had done. 'Why?'

'Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I brought you here, because I wanted to talk to you.'

'Talk... with me?'

She walked towards him, her bare feet touching the sand and she sat down next to him, pulling her legs up with her arms, how she just seconds ago had looked like a goddess she now looked like a fragile young woman, someone who had seen the hardships of the world, who had seen more then she should have, who had been broken to many times.

A tear ran down her cheek. 'I don't want to see him hurt anymore, we may not be able to life our lives together, but I still love him.'

'I don't understand.' He wanted to comfort her, take her in his arms, but he didn't, afraid to hurt her even more.

'Fate... fate decided that it was time for me to die, because I died I can never be with him, the only one I ever loved.'

'How did you die?' He asked, fear spreading through he heart, why was he so afraid to ask her.

She looked at him, her eyes told him that he didn't want to know, but that made him wanted to know even more. 'It... it was you, you were the one that killed me.' His eyes widened, he had killed her. 'But I don't blame you, you were the one that freed me, freed me from the curse I had to live with.'

'You... you don't blame me.' He was stunned by her words.

'A curse was placed on me, since that day every night I turned into a basket and I was unable to control it. I was freed from it when you killed me. The only thing that I regret is... that I wasn't able to spend more time with him, but I'm glad that he was the one that laid me to rest.'

He remembered the basket, if he had known maybe... maybe I could have changed her fate... but who was this guy, it has to be someone from Camelot, because she died there.He sighed. 'Who was he?'

She smiled, probably remembering the man she fell in love with. 'You know him, it's because of that that I called you. He's hurt, he's the most kind and loving person I have ever met, but he's afraid of you, afraid that you will find out.'

Arthur opened his mouth and closed it immediately. _'He's is someone close to me.' _A image of Merlin spread through his head, but he shook it away. _'Someone he cared for is scared because he has a secret.'_ 'What is his secret?'

'He's magic.'

Arthur gasped. 'He has magic!'

She let out a soft laugh. 'No, he's magic.' She looked him in the eyes. 'He's scared that you will find out and that he wouldn't be able to explain it to you, so... so I will explain it to you. He's the one that helps protect Camelot from danger, the one that is trying to protect you. He's loyal to you, so don't judge him, because of what you father told you about magic.'She took a deep breath. 'I have seen the bad things that can be caused by magic, but also the good things, how it can protect and how it can heal.'

He turned away from her eyes, he knew that his father was wrong about magic, but still he had followed that man, killed innocent people. How would he ever be able to hurt his own friend. 'I... understand, please tell me who it's.'

'I think that you already know who he's.' She told him.

He shook his head, no he didn't know who it was, he couldn't know, but why did he knew in his heart that he knew the truth. He looked scared in her eyes, as if he wanted her to tell him that what he would say was not true. 'Is it Merlin?' He whispered.

She gave him a warm smile. 'Yeah.'

He blinked, not able to fully comprehend it. His first feeling was anger, but soon sadness and guilt filled his heart, why didn't he see it? He didn't know what to think, but he wasn't angry anymore, how could he be, if Merlin was really the person that protected Camelot.

'What are you going to do now?' Freya asked, concern filled her voice.

'I... I'm not sure... I won't hurt him, I promise.' She looked clearly relieved. 'Why didn't he tell me?'

'He was afraid of what you would think, of what you would do.' She grabbed his hands and looked in his eyes. 'I hope you make the right choice, I don't want to see him hurt anymore.'

She stood up, dragging him with her and walked to the water. He stared at her, not knowing what he should do and she stopped. 'What are you doing?' He asked her and she gave him a sad smile.

'You can't stay here for much longer, you have to go back.' Suddenly she pushed him and he felt backwards into the water and he screamed.

He jumped up again, afraid to drown and he screamed again, but he stopped when he recognized the room around him, he was home, he sat in his own bed, dripping with sweat. He looked to the side, facing a concerned looking Gwen and he grabbed his head, was what he saw true, was it all just a dream? He didn't know, but he would find out.

xxx

For the next two weeks he had been following Merlin and he started to understand. He knew what the raven was, he knew why he was afraid, but now he was able to change it. His gulped by the thought, but he was going to confront his friend tonight, he needed to know the truth.

So he went with his heart filled with fear for what would happen, his fears came true, how afraid Merlin was for what he thought, for what he would do and it took a while, but they talked over it, shared their secrets, laughed and cried, how he now understood what he was supposed to be.

Arthur didn't know if it was all a dream he had seen, or that he had really met the lady of the lake, but he was glad which way it was. He now was finally able to understand the truth, the truth he probably already had seen a long time ago, but he had ignored, because he was scared.

So I silence he thanked Freya, the lady of the lake for what she had done for him and his friend, because now he would be able to create a kingdom of peace, a kingdom he created together with Merlin.


End file.
